Safety razor



Feb. 16, 1932. F. M. DURKEE, 1,845,587

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Sept. 28. 1928 I zve71;l07'." WQL$W,

Patented Feb. 16, 1932 uNrr-so STATES PATENT OFFICE mnnmox m. DUBKEE, ornnooxnm'e, mssaomisms sum? won.

Application filed September 28, 1928. Serial No. 309,094,.

M invention relates to safety razors, and a particularly to safetyrazors of that type including the well known Gillette safety razor,

and it has for its object to provide an improved safety razor of thisclass.

Safety razors of the class indicated have heretofore been constructed soas to comprise several separable pieces which were not as convenientlyhandled in assembling, disassembling and cleaning the razor as might bedesired. Morever, when a razor of this class, as heretofore constructed,was opened or taken apart, the several elements thereof were entirelydisconnected and one or more of them were liable to be misplaced, lostor damaged through being dropped. My invention has for its object toreduce to a minimum the.

number of separate parts, and in the best form of my invention I haveprovided a safety razor of the type indicated so constructed that whenit is opened for the purpose of inserting or removing a blade, or forthe purpose of cleaning, the several parts thereof remain connectedtogether and the whole device can be conveniently manipulated andhandled as P a unit.

llhe invention consists in a safety razor having the peculiar featuresof construction 1 and mode of operation set forth in the followingdescription, the novel features thereof being particularly pointed outand defined in the claims at the close thereof.

In the accompanying drawings: 5 Figure 1 is an elevation, partly insection, 1 of a safety razor constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the razor shown'in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation, partly in section,

of the handle and coupling member hereinafter described.

. Figure i is a central longitudinal sectional view of he movable jawhereinafter described.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the fixed jaw hereinafter described.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the blade clamp.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the coupling 5 member hereinafter described.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the blade constitoting part of the razorshown in Figure 1.

Figure 9 illustrates the operation of my improved razor. 1

Figures 10 and 11 are enlarged sectional details also illustrating theoperation of-my improved razor.

The form of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 inclusivecomprises a handle 00 member 1, provided at one end with an inte- Iriorly threaded socket 2, said end being made exteriorly cylindrical tofit within the centrally disposed hole 3 of-a coupling member 4 withinwhich it is free to rotate. Apin or 5 vscrew 5 mounted in the couplingmember 4 has its inner end disposed within an annular groove 6 providedupon the exterior of the handle member 1, so that normally the coulinmember 4 is locked to the handle memher, ut the latter is free to berotated relatively to the former.

The coupling member 4'is made at opposite sides of the hole 3 with arms7, 7 constructed with sockets 8, 8 to receive studs 9,9 projecting fromthe concaved side of a transversely arcuate fixed clampjaw 10, the arms7, 7 being split longitudinally as at 11,11, so that the studs9 aregripped and held frictionally by said arms, thus providing for re movalof the coupling member 4 from the I studs 9 when desired.

The fixed clamp jaw 10 is, made at its middle with a hole 12 throughwhich projects a threaded stem 13 that is provided upon the concavedside of a transversely arcuate movable clamp jaw 14, and at oppositesides of said stem 13 are provided the usual dowelreceiving holes 15.

Projecting from the concaved side of the 00 v transversely arcuate fixedjaw 10, one at each side of the hole 12, are two blade-positioningdowels 16 which occupy the holes 15 of the movable jaw 14 when thelatter is in its closed position.

At one end thereof the fixed jaw 10 is made with an eye 17 hingedlyconnected with a similar eye 18 provided upon the adjacent end of themovable jaw 14, by means of a sheet-metal link 19. This link hinge 19permanently connects the ends of the two jaws of the clamp and permitsthe movable jaw to be swung thereon toward and from the fixed jaw, andit is to be noted that it also provides suflicientplay or lost motion topermit the threaded stem 13 of the movable jaw 14 to be passed freelyintoand out of the hole 12 of the fixed jaw, and to be screwed into thethreaded socket 2 of the handle member 1. The usual Gillette blade 20,Figure 8, is

provided, and thisblade is incorporated in the razor by placing the sameagainst or upon the fixed jaw 10, with the studs 16 occupying theapertures 21 of the blade and with the middle aperture 22 of the latterregistering with the hole 12 of the fixed jaw 10. After placing theblade in position the movable jaw 14 is closed and by rotating thehandle member 1 the stem 13 is screwed into the socket 2, thus clampingthe blade in position and flexing it to the desired extent.

The fixed jawlO is provided as usual with guard combs 31, and since thedowels 16 are, in the form of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 8inclusive, rigid parts of said fixed jaw 10, it will be clear that theblade 20 when placed upon these dowels 16 will be accurately posit onedwith respect to the guard combs 31. This was not the case with safetyrazors of this type as heretofore constructed where the dowels 16 wereprovided upon the movable jaw 14. Thus with the old construction therewas necessarily play or looseness to some extent between the dowels onthe movable jaw and the sides of the holes on the fixed jaw so that as aresult the blade ordinarily would not be as accurately positioned withrespect to the guard combs as is the case with my improved constructionabove described where the dowels 16 are part of the lower fixed jaw 10.

One of the principal advantages to the novel construction abovedescribed is the ease and despatch with which the blade can be removedfrom the device. In efi'ecting the removal of the blade the thumb of onehand is placed upon the top of the end of the razor blade that isopposite or farthest from the hinge, while the fingers of that hand arepassed around the handle member with the forefinger immediately underthe fixed jaw 10. Then, while exerting downward pressure with the thumbupon the end ofthe blade 20, the handle member 1 is unscrewed from thestem 13 and immediately that the latter is free the upward spring of theblade, assisted by the downward pressure of the thumb, throws themovable jaw 14 upwardly and away from'the fixed jaw into the posithelatter is under the influence of the downward. pressure of the thumb, sothat it is only left for the operator to remove the blade from therazor. r

From the above description it will be seen that the coupling member 4and fixed jaw 10 provide a head for the handle or stem of the razor sothat the latter is made up of two separable parts which is a feature ofconvenience in packaging and storing the razor.

Ordinarily, however, the parts 4 and 10 are left connected while therazor is in service since it is only necessary to open the jaw 14 andremove the blade in order to thoroughly cleanse the structure after use.

The permanent link connection 19 connecting one end of jaw 14 with thehead of the razor is an important feature of my invention which has theadvantage that when the jaw 14 is swung down on to the blade inpreparing the razor for use, the free end of the threaded stud 13 can bemoved about laterally and entered properly within the threaded socket atthe upper end of the handle 1 because of the flexibility provided bylink 19. The lost motion at the link 19, referred to above, is alsoimportant for the reason that it permits of endwise or axial movement ofthe threaded stud 13 toward the handle 1, when the latter is beingscrewedthereon to clamp the blade between the two j aws;

As will be seen by comparing Figs. Sand 9, the link 19 and cross-bar 18on jaw 14 are free to swing around the cross-bar of eye 17 when jaw 14is swung from its closed to its widely open position. This is possiblebecause of the slackness or lost motion provided by the link connection19 so that when the free end of the stud 13 is being screwed into thesocket 2 at the upper end of handle 1, the jaw 14 is brought down towardthe fixed jaw 10 by a rectilinear bodily movement which bends the bladearound the transversely arcuate fixed jaw 10.

It will therefore be clear that the peculiar link hinge connection whichI have provlded enables the transverse curvature'of the razor blade tobe regulated by rotative adjustment of the handle 1, thereby to adjustthe cutting edges of the blade toward and from the sertion of maximumcurvature to its condition I of minimum curvature. That is the blade 20is adjusted to its fullest extent by about one quarter of a revolutionof the handle 1.

Of course, it is desirable that this movement of adjustment of themovable jaw 14 be made on a rectilinear path so that the blade will beflexed uniformly from end to end and not more at one end than at theother as would be.

the case if there were no lost motion at the link 19. It is a feature ofmy invention that when the movable jaw 14' occupies its closed positionas shown in Figure 1, the link 19 is 14 to move slightly and bodily on arectilinear path toward and from the fixed jaw 10. Thus when the handle1 is screwed up tight the link 19 is lose and there is sufiicient lostmotion at said link to, permit the movable jaw 14 to move bodily on arectilinear path j away from the fixed jaw 10 during about one quarterof a revolution of the handle 1 in a direction to unscrew the same fromthe stem 13. Thus the curvature of the blade 20 of my new razor may beuniformly varied within limits to cause the same to shave roughly or toshave closely, as desired,

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the relationship ofthe two jaws and link when the handle is screwed up tight and the bladeis curved transversely to its maximum extent. In Figure 11 the movablejaw 14 is shown in the position to which it is moved when the handle isunscrewed to the extent of about one quarter of a revolution and thisisthe relationship of the parts when the opposite cutting edges of theblade are at the limit of their moveand are adjusted for a close shave.In Figure 10 the movable jaw 14 occupies its fully closed position andit will be noted that the two bars 17 and 18 do not abut both ends ofthe link so that there is spaced at a which permits the movable" jaw 14to be adjusted .on a rectilinear path from the position shown in Figure10 to the position shown in Figure 11. Thus the cutting effects of theblade. can, by adjustment of the handle,-be varied within the limitsdetermined by the length of the link 19.

What I claim is:

1. In a safety razor of the 5 I character de suflicientlyloose to permitthe movable jaw ment away from the fixed jaw or guard 10 odilyrelatively to the fixed jaw 10 scribed the combination with a fixed jawhavin a transversely arcuate convex bladeengaging faceand a movable jawhaving a transversely arcuate concaved blade-engaging face adapted toreceive and hold between them a thin flexible spring sheet metal blade,said jaws being provided at proximate ends each with a cross-bar, of ahandle member projecting 'perpendcularly away from the outer side ofsaid fixed jaw with which latter said handle member is rotatablyconnected, 'said handle member being adapted at its inner end toseparably engage said movable jaw and when engaged therewith to maintainthe same in blade-holding position while said handle member is manuallyrotated in either direction within predetermined limits thereby toadjust said movable jaw bodily on a rectilinear path relatively to thefixed jaw to vary the cutting action of said blade and when rotated to agreater extent in'one of said directions to free said movable jaw, and alink member made with an elongate slot loosely occupied by both of saidcross-bars so that said link member perbe adjusted on said rectilinearpath toward and from said fixed jaw independently of said link member bysaid'handle when the latter is rotatively adjusted within saidpredetermined limits to vary the cutting action of the blade.

2. A safety razor of the character described having its blade-holdingjaws made each with a cross-bar at one end thereof, and a link membermade with an elongate slot loosely occupied by both of said cross-barsso that said link member permanently connects said two jaws, the lengthof said slot permitting said movable jaw to be adjusted bodily'on arectilinear path toward and from said fixed jaw independently of saidlink member when the razor is adjusted to vary the cutting.action of itsblade from maximum to minimum and vice versa.

3. A safety razor of the character described constructed in accordancewith claim 2 wherein the lit of the cross-bars within the scribedcomprising two transversely arcuate blade-holding jaws and a linkmemberv made with an elongate slot loosely and permanent: ly occupied bytransversely extending end portionsof said two jaws, the length of saidslot permitting one of said jaws to be ad-' justed bodily on arectilinear path while maintained parallel with the other jaw toward andfrom the latter independently of said link member when the razor isadjusted to vary the cutting action of its blade from maximum to mi'mmumand vice versa.

5. A safety razor of the character described constructed inaccordancewith claim 4 wherein the fit of said transversely extending end portionswithin the elongate slot of the link is loose so as to permitiofuniversal movement of said adjustable jaw relatively to the other jawwhile said adjustable jaw occnpies its open position.

-S1gned by me at Boston, coimty of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts,this th day of {I September, 1928.

FREDERICK M. DURKEE.

